Response to Sorapure: Final Blog Post For 09 Seminar

Sorapure points out that assessing the digital composition adds new complexities. She quotes Yancey’s (2004) discussion of coherence in digital texts: "Digital compositions weave words and context and images: They are exercises in ordered complexity--and complex in some different ways than print precisely because they include more kinds of threads" (95).

Adding the digital components to composition does add or weave new threads into the texts. “Multi-modality” assessment becomes a problem of bridging old to new. We can I’m sure use standard assessment criteria based on the assumption that writing is writing, communication is communication, expression is expression, and no matter the mode, common values are still in place. On the other hand, there will be new criteria or twists to the old ones.
For example, the value of coherence becomes more complex.

Now, the question is, how well did the choices the writer make in mixing mediums or modes work toward a central theme or intention? Did all of the pieces work together and strengthen the composition, or did all of the pieces serve fragmentation and confusion? Did the use of mixed mediums enrich the message or dilute it? To assess multi-modal compositions, coherence suddenly becomes more complex than thesis statement, topic sentence, transitions, and repetition of main ideas.

Multi-modal compositions I think will still have the same criteria that good writing has, but a new degree of complexity is added to the mix. One problem I do see after having viewed the example assignments in her article is the problem of familiarity with visual and audio values, or esthetics. I am experienced and practiced in assessing qualities of good writing, but I have only a kind of consumer’s experience as a critic of visual and audio production. Much of the digital compositions incorporate design elements that would be part of a drawing class, a graphics arts class, a photography class, a music composition class. Those are areas that I am not “professionally” versed in so there is that lack of experience which may possibly lead to assessment based more on personal taste as to objective assessment. Just a thought.

On a practical note: Part of the English IB assessment includes a 15 minute oral presentation on topics from selected literary works in our curriculum. In the past, we have down played the use of technology, mostly because of assessment issues and also to even out the playing field. I can see that now, however, students and myself are more prepared to be able to make more artistic and “multi-modal” presentations that utilize technological resources. I can see that building in proper assessment measures to accommodate the modes will be necessary—and doable.

Signing off! May the warm winds of summer blow slowly. Thanks everyone for your comments, insights, sharing, humor, intelligence, inspiration. Thank you Scot for a helpful and enjoyable class. As a teacher who just this year really began to sense the "dinasaur syndrome," I feel that your class and expertise were very helpful in making me feel a bit more evolved.